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PHILADELPHIA 

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REFERENCE 


Given  by 


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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2018  with  funding  from 
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https://archive.org/details/fiftyyearsofprogOOwill 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  WILLIAM  MANN 
COMPANY  AT  PHILADELPHIA, PA.  IN 
EIGHTEEN  HUNDRED  AND  NINETY-EIGHT 


HD 


COPYRIGHT  1898, 

By  WILLIAM  MANN  COMPANY, 

Philadelphia. 


PUBLISHED  BY  WILLIAM  MANN  COMPANY. 

Text  and  Supervision  by  Harold  M.  Duncan. 
Art  Work  by  Charles  heergeist. 


CONTENTS, 


PAGE. 

Introduction,  .........  9-10 

A  Bit  of  History,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .11-18 

A  Chapter  about  the  Executive  Department,  .  19-30 

The  Making  of  Copying  Papers,  .....  31-36 

A  Chapter  about  the  Manufacturing  Departments,  37-42 

A  Chapter  about  the  Stock  Room,  ....  43-48 

A  Chapter  about  the  Ruling  Department,  .  .  49-54 

A  Chapter  about  Blank  Book  Sewing,  .  .  .  55-60 

A  Chapter  about  Blank  Books,  .  .  ...  61-68 

A  Chapter  about  the  Copying  Book  Department,  .  69-74 

A  Chapter  about  the  Press  Room, 

a  Treating  upon  the  Composing  Room,  .  .  75-84 

A  Chapter  about  the  Power  Department,  .  .  85-90 


N  offering  this  volume  to  those  friends  and  acquaintances  of 
the  commercial  world  with  whom  our  relations  at  intervals 
U  during  the  past  half-century  have  been  so  uninterruptedly 
pleasant,  a  few  prefatory  words  appear  desirable,  if  not  to 
introduce  the  subject-matter,  yet  to  outline  the  publishers’  inten¬ 
tion.  Too  frequently,  however,  is  a  preface  the  mere  pretext  for 
self-laudation,  especially  in  books  of  industrial  import  dealing  with 
the  history  of  enterprises  which  it  may  be  desired  to  commemorate. 
There  is  nothing — whether  in  statement  or  by  implication— that 
we  would  more  earnestly  avoid. 

The  William  Mann  Company  has  completed  the  first  fifty 
years  of  its  existence  as  a  business  institution,  in  the  course  of 
which,  under  what  is  believed  to  have  been  a  judicious  and  strictly 
honorable  policy,  it  has  developed  with  steady  and  progressive  steps 
to  a  plane  of  commercial  activity  the  horizon  of  which  is  relatively 
as  great  as  the  foundations  of  the  business  are  secure.  Just  as  in 
Nature,  the  slowest  processes  are  those  which  culminate  in  greatest 
energy ;  so  in  the  domain  of  Trade — the  solidity  of  results  requires 


time  in  which  to  eventuate.  As  a  proper  tribute  to  the  sagacity, 
courage  and  integrity  of  its  revered  founder  —  who  died  during 
1S81 — and  as  a  memorial  to  the  willing  hands  that  assumed  the 
duties  he  laid  down,  we  have  conceived  the  formation  of  a  book, 
wherein  the  handicraft  of  the  artist  should  supplement  description 
of  our  establishment  and  the  plain  data  of  commercial  achievement 
be  enlivened  by  the  skill  of  the  photographer  and  the  best  possi¬ 
ble  results  of  typography  and  the  allied  arts.  The  text  is  more 
than  a  citation  of  bare  facts ;  it  is  a  portraiture  of  living  processes, 
indexing  the  improvements  of  a  half-century  of  experiment  and 
liberal  enterprise.  During  this  time,  facilities  have  exactly  par¬ 
alleled  Invention :  as  machinery,  appliances  or  processes  have 
appeared,  aimed  at  the  simplification  and  consequent  cheapening  of 
production,  no  labor  or  expense  have  been  spared  to  add  them  to 
the  equipment  of  a  plant,  which  is  thrown  open  to  the  reader  as 
among  the  completest  in  the  world,  in  any  department  of  Industry. 

It  is  with  the  cordial  wish  that  the  reader  may  participate,  in 
some  degree,  in  the  pleasure  experienced  by  the  publishers  in  the 
issuance  of  this  volume,  that  we  solicit  for  the  following  pages  his 
friendly  perusal. 

WILLIAM  MANN  COMPANY. 


10 


oqoogooo  qnn  p  o  o  o  o' o  o  o  o  o  o 

0 


GOG'OOGOOOOGOGOG 


HEN  the  historian  begins  to  construct  a  story 
out  of  the  fragments  of  the  Past,  —  a  story 
which  must  be  coherent  and  truthful  —  two 
rules  must  govern  his  procedure :  he  must 
both  regard  the  persons  whose  actions  form 
the  materials  for  his  history,  and  the  results 
which  those  actions  superinduced.  No  matter 
what  the  sphere  of  life  he  chronicles — political,  religious  or  indus¬ 
trial  —  neither  of  these  elements  can  be  safely  disregarded.  The 
manner  of  man  one  is  will  determine  the  nature  of  the  acts  one 
does.  Conversely,  the  character  of  one’s  acts  is  a  pretty  safe 
criterion  for  judging  the  native  tendencies  of  the  man.  The  true 
secret  of  the  causes  ending  in  success  or  failure  need  not  be  traced 
much  farther  back  than  the  individual. 

The  events  of  an  epoch  will  always  be  found  to  revolve  around 
one  or  more  prominent  personages,  from  whom  go  forth  the  influ¬ 
ences  that  mould  and  shape  the  spirit  of  the  times  into  an  image 
of  their  own  idea.  In  analogous  manner,  in  the  business  world, 
the  beginning  of  institutions  lies  with  the  man  or  men  whose 
thought,  energy  and  will  gave  them  birth  ;  so,  also,  is  it  with  the 
influences  which  foster  the  growth  of  such  institutions,  carry  them 
upwards  to  success,  and  ensure  their  perpetuity.  Within  the  seed 
lie  all  the  processes  which  culminate  in  the  monarch  of  the  forest ; 
within  the  idea  lie  concealed  all  the  subsequent  possibilities.  The 
seed  may  come  to  naught  because  of  poor  conditions  ;  so  may  the 


11 


idea  fail  of  expression  because  of  poor  soil.  But  when  the  thought 
of  a  great  business  starts,  only  the  beginning  is  aimed  at.  Rarely 
is  the  magnitude  of  the  end  foreseen.  Others  generally  carry  to¬ 
wards  perfection  what  is  thus  conceived  :  origin,  development  and 
consummation  continue  as  long  as  a  business  continues.  Hence, 
the  plan  of  this  historical  and  descriptive  sketch  is  at  once  before 
us,  having  to  do  with  the  founder  first,  then  with  his  successors, 
and  finally  with  the  present  facts  of  the  business.  Accordingly, 
justifying  the  introduction  of  the  personal  element,  I  will  ask  the 
reader  to  attend  with  me  to  facts  in  the  career  of  William  Mann. 

William  Mann,  founder  of  the  business  now  bearing  his  name, 
was  born  in  Philadelphia,  June  14th,  1814,  and  spent  such  early 
years  as  were  proper  to  an  apprenticeship  upon  a  farm  near 
Haddonfield,  N.  J.  Wearied  with  agriculture,  which  could  never 
have  contained  the  dominating  energy  of  his  character  or  have 
given  the  latter  its  legitimate  expansion,  he  abandoned  that  pur¬ 
suit  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  house  carpenter.  This  he  accjuired  at 
Haddonfield,  when  eighteen  years  old.  Several  years  were  spent 
in  the  avocation,  during  which  he  married.  Subsecpiently,  he  went 
to  Washington,  D.  C.,  and  entered  some  of  the  Departments  of  the 
United  States  Government,  in  one  of  which,  notably  the  Auditor’s 
Office,  he  assisted  to  compute  the  Census  then  under  process  of 
formulation.  Work  upon  the  Census  was  followed  by  a  return  to 
his  prior  trade  of  house  builder,  in  which  he  engaged  until  the 
Fall  of  1848.  In  the  interim,  however,  a  natural  inventiveness 
began  to  exhibit  itself,  the  first  results  of  which  was  the  useful 
appliance  known  as  “  Mann’s  Patent  Movable  Binders  ”  for  filing 
letters.  A  confidence  in  the  efficiency  of  the  idea,  which  was  both 
simple  and  ingenious,  induced  Mr.  Mann  to  come  to  Philadelphia 
at  this  time  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  the  specialty.  His  two 
oldest  sons  accompanied  him.  The  primitive  business  methods  of 
those  times  have  not  yet  passed  beyond  the  recollection  of  a  good 
many  people,  who  cannot  but  dwell  pleasantly  upon  the  earnest 
simplicity  of  Commerce,  so  strongly  contrasting  with  latter-day 


competition.  Those  were  days  of  sturdy  effort.  Mr.  Mann  partici¬ 
pated  in  their  spirit,  canvassing  from  door  to  door  with  his  Binder. 
Six  months  had  not  passed  before  sufficient  headway  had  been 
made  to  rent  a  small  wareroom  at  No.  74  (old  number)  North 
Fourth  Street,  a  portion  of  which  was  occupied  as  a  dwelling  and 
the  remaining  apartments  for  manufacturing  purposes.  Out  of  this 
beginning,  modest  and  unpretentious  as  it  was,  the  present  busi¬ 
ness  has  developed.  Eventually,  a  small  stationery  store  was 
established  in  the  location  thus  selected,  and  through  a  vigorous 
personal  canvass,  constantly  maintained  throughout  the  business 
and  residence  sections  of  the  city,  a  good  trade  in  binders  and 
kindred  articles  was  developed. 

A  few  years  at  the  Fourth  Street  wareroom  exhausted  the 
resources  of  the  building,  which  did  not  admit  of  facilities  in 
accord  with  the  expanding  volume  of  trade  steadily  flowing  in. 
Mr.  Mann  then  removed  to  the  second  floor  of  No.  25  South  Sixth 
Street,  having  in  the  meantime  increased  his  canvassing  facilities 
by  the  addition  of  a  horse  and  wagon.  In  Sixth  Street  he 
invented  what  is  known  the  world  over  as  “  Mann’s  Parchment 
Copying  Paper,”  a  product  possessed  of  certain  properties  obtained 
in  mixing  the  stock  and  in  treating  it,  which  lend  themselves  to 
letter-copying  where  permanency  and  legibility  are  specially  re¬ 
quired.  The  reproduction  of  an  old  advertisement — a  circular 
issued  about  this  time  by  Mr.  Mann,  and  which  is  in  the  pos¬ 
session  of  the  William  Mann  Company, — will  illustrate  the  nature 
of  the  specialties  then  handled,  as  well  as  the  encouragement 
extended  to  Mr.  Mann  by  the  consumers.  It  is  an  interesting 
glance  backwards  to  a  time  when  copying  books  with  numbered 
pages  were  first  introduced,  and  the  copying  press  began  to  make 
inroads  upon  the  old  methods  of  preserving  a  duplicate  of  records. 

The  Sixth  Street  establishment  becoming  in  its  turn  restricted, 
a  removal  to  more  commodious  quarters  on  the  Northeast  corner  of 
Third  and  Chestnut  Streets  was  made,  only  to  be  followed  a  little 
time  after  by  the  rental  of  Drexel’s  old  Banking  building,  at  No 


9 


ESTABLISHMENT, 

25  South  Sixth  Street,  above  Chestnut, 
PHILADELPHIA. 

In  November,  1849,  the  undersigned  opened  an  Establishment  for 
the  sale  of  the  Best  and  Cheapest  Presses  and  Appurtenances  used  in 
COPYING  LETTERS— where  have  been  sold  over  1,000  Presses, 
20,000  Copying-Books,  3,000  Dampeners,  and  15,000  Letter-Binders. 

Our  efforts  have  been  appreciated,  and  the  encouragement  received 
has  led  to  the  selection  of  a  more  central  location,  where  Merchants 
and  others  are  invited  to  call  and  examine — where  may  be  had  our 


PATENT  DOUBLE-LEVER 


KttVOlIB  «®IP 


Some  of  its  peculiarities  are,  that  it  does  not  require  fastening 
down ;  pressure  obtained  with  more  ease  and  much  quicker  than  by 
other  methods  ;  not  so  liable  to  get  out  of  order  or  break. 


PATENT  METALLIC  DAMPENER, 

Superseding  the  use  of  the  brush,  wet  cloth,  and  blotting-paper. 
With  it  a  perfect  copy  may  always  be  secured.  ftfg^Can  be  used  with 
any  Press. 

Parchment  Paper,  (Patent  applied  for.) 


Letter  Copying  Boohs ,  with  Pages  Printed , 

Bound  with  Leather  backs,  Cloth  sides,  and  sewed  on  Parchment. 


BEST  QUALITY  COPYING  INK  ALWAYS  ON  HAND. 

PATENT  MOVABLE  BINDER, 

A  most  valuable  invention  (and  one  that  should  be  found  in  every 
counting-room),  for  keeping  in  a  book-like  form,  letters,  original  in¬ 
voices,  music,  newspapers,  or  any  papers  where  easy  and  ready 
reference  is  desirable. 

WM.  MANN, 

25  South  Sixth  Street,  above  Chestnut,  Philadelphia. 


48  South  Third  Street,  and  the  installation  of  the  plant  therein. 
A  completely  stocked  Stationery  and  Blank-Book  establishment 
was  here  begun,  trade  still  farther  expanding  to  enforce  another 
removal  to  No.  43  South  Fourth  Street,  where  the  business  con¬ 
tinued  for  several  years  —  up  until  1873.  During  this  year  Mr. 
Mann  purchased  the  large  five-story  building,  No.  529  Market 
Street,  which  is  now  occupied  by  the  Executive  and  Retail  Depart¬ 
ments  of  the  William  Mann  Company. 

The  career  of  William  Mann,  up  to  the  time  designated,  had 
been  an  exemplification  of  incessant  enterprise.  He  had  been  the 
first  to  make  a  copying  paper  in  this  country,  and  thus  to  lay  the 
foundations  of  a  trade  in  this  article  which  transcended  his  greatest 
expectations.  He  had  participated  in  the  invention  of  several 
special  articles  of  usefulness  in  the  Stationery  field,  which  added 
to  the  fruits  of  his  labors,  and  had  upreared  his  business  on  lines 
reflecting  his  own  integrity  of  purpose  and  unswerving  determina¬ 
tion  to  succeed.  It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  business  life 
of  William  Mann  was  devoid  of  financial  struggle.  While  at  No. 
529  Market  Street  there  were  vicissitudes  of  no  inferior  magnitude ; 
the  panic  caused  by  the  failure  of  Jay  Cook  involving  Mr.  Mann’s 
business  with  that  of  many  others  in  the  upheaval.  The  new 
building  had  been  purchased ;  it  had  been  refitted  and  equipped 
with  machinery  of  improved  pattern,  and  heavy  running  expenses 
augmented  the  difficult  task  of  financing  the  establishment  in  times 
when  all  were  retrenching  their  funds  in  circulation.  Nevertheless, 
rejecting  a  suggestion  then  made  that  he  assign  and  pay  fifty 
cents  011  the  dollar,  he  fought  through  the  uncertainty  and  came 
out  with  a  clean  balance  sheet. 

In  September,  1881,  William  Mann  died,  aged  67  years.  It 
was  a  request  embodied  in  his  Will  that  his  sons,  properly  the 
ones  to  carry  on  the  business,  should  unite  and  form  a  Company, 
which  was  done  in  April,  1888 — the  name  of  the  corporation  being 
the  William  Mann  Company. 

In  his  business  life,  William  Mann  was  a  persistent  resolute 


15 


and  energetic  worker,  possessing  strong  executive  powers,  keeping 
his  hand  steadily  upon  the  helm  of  his  business,  and  strictly 
conscientious  in  his  dealings  with  debtor  and  creditor  alike.  Keenly 
alive  to  the  possibilities  of  every  new  avenue  opened  in  the  natural 
ramifications  of  Trade,  he  passed  over  the  pitfalls  into  which 
unrestricted  progressiveness  is  so  frequently  led  and  was  enabled 
to  focus  his  energies  in  directions  where  fruition  was  certain.  If  a 
pen  picture  could  accurately  delineate  his  business  characteristics, 
sueli  might  be  given  in  these  words :  A  progressive  spirit,  ruled 
by  more  than  ordinary  intelligence  and  good  judgment;  a  deep 
earnestness  impelled  and  fostered  by  indomitable  perseverence ;  a 
native  justice  expressing  itself  in  correct  principle  and  practice. 

Personally,  William  Mann  was  characterized  ’by  strong  relig¬ 
ious  convictions  and  moral  courage.  With  but  little  opportunities 
for  liberal  culture,  he  attained  an  insight  and  familiarity  with  the 
world  of  literature  and  thought  possessed  by  few  not  given  by 
profession  to  scholastic  pursuits.  He  was  broad  in  his  sympathies, 
liberal  in  his  charities,  a  loving  husband  and  a  tender  father. 
Such,  in  brief,  are  the  impressions  made  by  his  life  upon  the 
hearts  of  those  who  knew  him  well. 

The  demise  of  William  Mann,  followed  by  the  formation  of  the 
Company  which  he  advised,  did  not,  as  is  so  frequently  the  case, 
retard  the  development  of  the  business  which  he  had  inaugurated 
and  fostered  so  successfully.  On  the  contrary,  his  successors  had 
been  long  familiar  with  the  methods  to  be  pursued  in  accomplish¬ 
ing  the  unfoldment  of  its  possibilities.  The  volume  of  trade  kept 
on  swelling  until  the  channels  through  which  it  flowed  necessitated 
still  farther  enlargement.  In  the  Fall  of  1893  contracts  were 
issued  for  the  erection  of  a  large  manufacturing  building  at  the 
corner  of  Fifth  and  Commerce  Streets,  Philadelphia,  wherein  all 
departments  of  production,  in  the  specialties  conserved,  might  be 
centralized.  The  planning  of  the  structure,  which  contains  eight 
stories  and  a  basement,  was  entrusted  to  Mr.  Thos.  P.  Lonsdale, 
a  well-known  architect,  with  instructions  to  build  a  thoroughly 


up-to-date  factory,  having  perfect  facilities  for  the  comfort  and 
convenience  of  those  employed,  as  well  as  abundant  floor  space  for 
the  equipment  demanded  by  the  varieties  of  work  to  be  done. 
The  edifice  was  finished  and  occupied  during  the  Fall  of  1894,  and 
numerous  exterior  and  interior  views  are  elsewhere  presented  to 
afford  a  more  comprehensive  conception  of  existing  manufacturing 
facilities  than  could  be  given  by  mere  description.  Here  are 
carried  on  all  classes  of  blank-book  making ;  the  manipulation  of 
various  special  grades  of  copying  paper  into  books  of  all  sizes,  for 
the  use  of  firms,  railroads,  etc.  ;  printing,  both  as  to  composition 
and  presswork ;  lithographing  and  embossing. 

William  Mann  was  the  inventor  of  a  process  of  making  copy¬ 
ing  paper,  having  characteristics  which  brought  it  into  immediate 
prominence.  This  latter  has  been  augmented  by  the  growing 
reputation  of  the  makers  and  by  their  introduction  of  all  grades 
demanded  in  the  uses  of  commerce.  Around  the  original  brand  of 
“  Parchment  Copying  Paper,”  have  grown  other  styles  of  copying 
paper,  known  as  “  Mann’s  White  Linen,”  “  American  Glazed,” 
“  Mercantile,”  “  Manilla,”  and  “American  Railroad,”  the  last  of 
which  is  used  by  all  the  principal  railroad  companies  of  the  country. 

In  1882,  the  year  following  the  death  of  William  Mann,  it 
became  necessary  to  start  a  paper  mill  for  the  manufacture  of 
copying  papers.  A  property  at  Lambertville,  used  for  other  mill 
purposes,  was  purchased  and  the  building  enlarged  and  equipped 
for  the  specific  manufactures  contemplated. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  facilities  offered  by  a  consecutive 
chain  of  processes,  carried  on  from  beginning  to  end  of  produc¬ 
tions  specialized  by  the  William  Mann  Company,  readily  lend 
themselves  to  the  highest  excellence,  the  utmost  economy  and  the 
most  certain  uniformity.  It  is  modestly  believed  that  such  will  be 
better  apparent  from  an  illustration  of  the  methods,  and  with  a 
few  words  this  section  can  be  brought  to  a  close. 

The  commercial  institution,  known  as  the  William  Mann 
Company,  was  germinant  with  the  honorable  man  whose  name  it 


17 


bears.  The  manner  of  man  he  was  is  shown  in  the  magnitude  of 
the  present  enterprise,  while  the  conduct  of  the  latter,  as  to  policy 
and  methods,  reflect  his  motives.  Those  who  have  assumed  the 
reins  of  control  have  sought  to  interpret  and  adapt  what  they 
believe  to  be  the  soundest  and  truest  business  principles  to  the 
constant  and  rapid  progression  which  is  necessitated  by  the  upward 
march  of  Industry,  in  lines  of  experiment,  discovery  and  inven¬ 
tion.  The  influences  of  the  epoch  are  incessantly  inventive  and 
improving.  Production  is  correspondingly  simplified  and  facilitated. 
Primarily  in  the  interests  of  the  consumer,  the  results  are  equally 
essential  to  the  producer,  and  an  intelligent  and  iconoclastic  admin¬ 
istration  is  daily  being  more  demanded.  It  was  to  his  anticipation 
of  this  truth  that  the  rapid  development  of  William  Mann’s  busi¬ 
ness  must  be  ascribed, — a  truth  which  constitutes  the  aims  and 
practice  of  those  who  now  comprise  the  William  Mann  Company. 


A  CHAPTER, ABOUT  THE 
EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT 


NK  of  the  essentials  to  proper  administration 
in  any  enterprise,  the  extent  of  which  pre-  ; 
eludes  the  individual  supervision  of  details, 
is  a  system  by  which  each  function  and 
process  is  separated  and  yet  unified.  A 
business  organism  is  analogous  to  a  human  body,  each  organ 
of  which  performs  its  own  work  independent  of,  yet  controlled 
by,  the  vital  processes.  As  it  is  with  the  human  body  so  it  is 
with  the  body  corporate.  It  is  in  the  perfect  regularity  and 
co-ordination  of  the  functions  that  the  health  and  harmony  of  the 
results  are  to  be  sought. 

The  entire  business  of  the  William  Mann  Company  is  adminis¬ 
tered  from  its  main  offices  in  the  five-story  building,  No.  529  Market 
Street,  Philadelphia,  where  are  located  the  various  departments  con¬ 
nected  with  the  directorate.  The  executive  heads  of  the  firm,  who 
assume  a  complete  general  management,  are  Joseph  H.  Mann, 
president,  and  Charles  H.  Mann,  vice-president.  The  details  of  the 
business  are  systematized  in  departmental  form,  each  department 
having  certain  specific  duties  to  perform,  under  the  supervision  of 
one  or  more  employes  rendered  expert  by  experience  and  capacity. 

Mails  are  received  from  the  Post-Office  twice  daily,  and  the 
letters  comprising  them  are  opened  and  distributed  to  the  respec¬ 
tive  departments  by  the  secretary  of  the  company,  William  A. 


19 


Stewart,  whose  association  with  the  firm  dates  from  his  boyhood, 
or  since  1S63.  It  is  a  rule  of  the  company’s,  based  upon  the 
governing  principle  of  its  founder,  William  Mann,  that  every  letter 
or  inquiry  received  shall  be  answered,  if  possible,  before  the  close 
of  the  same  day.  “  Promptness  and  One  Price  ”  was  a  business 
precept  closely  followed  by  William  Mann,  and  constitutes  the 
dominating  principle  of  the  present  management. 

The  Accounting  Department,  a  view  of  which  is  given  as  a 
text-illustration,  is  supervised  by  John  B.  Buzby,  treasurer  of  the 
company.  This  department,  standing  in  a  measure  by  itself  in  every 
business,  includes  the  control  of  collections  and  the  liquidation  of 

accounts,  in  itself  an 
arduous  and  voluminous 
function.  The  ramifica¬ 
tions  of  the  business, 
extending  far  beyond  the 
boundaries  of  the  United 
States  and  Canada  into 
foreign  countries,  —  with 
which  a  growing  trade 
is  maintained, — render 
the  number  of  accounts 
very  large. 

The  influx  of  business  naturally  divides  into  groups  or  classes, 
each  requiring  different  treatment,  particularly  where  manufactur¬ 
ing  as  well  as  retailing  are  involved.  All  orders  received  by  the 
William  Mann  Company  relating  to  goods  to  be  manufactured 
expressly  for  the  customer  are  referred  to  the  Order  Department, 
where  they  are  entered,  with  full  description  of  details,  each  order 
being  designated  by  a  number  throughout  the  entire  process  of 
production.  It  thus  becomes  easy  to  ascertain  the  precise  stage  of 
completion  which  may  have  been  attained  by  the  order,  and  to 
trace  to  its  proper  source  any  deviation  from  original  instructions 
given  at  the  time  of  its  filing.  Two  advantages  are  hence  obtained: 


20 


the  accurate  filling  of  orders  as  they  are  given  out,  and  the  ready 
repetition  of  an  order  if  it  may  subsequently  require  duplication. 
A  partial  view  of  this  department  accompanies  the  text. 

Another  group  of  letters,  outside  of  orders,  relates  to  inquiries 
as  to  cost  of  goods,  specially  made  up,  etc.,  and  these  receive 
attention  by  the  Estimating  Department.  Cost  of  production  is 
the  most  important  element  in  successful  manufacturing,  and  has 
been  said  to  underlie  the  entire  field  of  industrial  activity.  It  is  a 
fore-knowledge  of  what  may  arise  in  producing  goods  before  they 
enter  upon  the  actual  processes  involved.  By  its  intelligent  appli¬ 
cation,  within  a  certain  margin  allowed  for  contingencies,  the 
empirical  is  superseded  by  the  exact  knowledge,  and  a  definite 
standard  of  excellence  in  materials  is  possible,  which  would  be 
otherwise  threatened  if  at  some  late  stage  of  the  operation  it  was 
discovered  that  the  sum  charged  was  inadequate  to  the  cost  of 
manufacture.  In  conformity  with  this  arbitrary  law,  a  department 
becomes  necessary  wherein  practically  informed  men  shall  compute, 
from  fixed  quantities,  the  permissible  price  at  which  an  order  can 
be  filled.  In  the  department  indicated  no  guess-work  is  allowed ; 
there  must  be  an  accurate  knowledge  of  what  every  stage  in 
manufacture  will  cost  within  narrow  margins  of  time  and  materials. 


Orders  for  goods  from  stock  are  referred  to  the  Sales  Depart¬ 
ment,  in  which  an  efficient  corps  of  salesmen  are  invested  with 
the  requisite  authority.  Completeness  and 
quantity  of  stock  being  imperative  where  so 

much  of  a  business  is 
done  in  manufacturing 
to  order,  this  department 
is  maintained  upon  a 
scale  the  largest  and 
most  extensive.  It  is 
probable  that  the  largest 
and  most  complete  stock 
of  blank-books  and  sta- 


tionery  for  commercial  purposes  in  the  United  States  is  kept  here. 
The  extent  of  the  department  can  be  approximated  mentally,  from 
the  view  taken  at  the  front  of  the  building,  just  inside  the  doors 
opening  upon  Market  Street.  It  occupies  the  entire  ground  floor, 
part  of  the  basement  and  a  section  of  the  second  floor  in  the  building 
at  No.  529  Market  Street,  a  view  of  which  is  shown  in  connection 
with  the  New  York  store  of  the  company. 

The  remaining  part  of  the  basement  in  the  Philadelphia 
building,  which  has  a  frontage  of  24  feet  and  a  depth  of  200  feet, 
contains  a  modern  steam  plant,  for  heating  purposes,  and  an 
electrical  plant  for  lighting  the  building.  An  ascent  to  the  second 
floor  reaches  the  executive  offices  of  the  company,  in  the  front 
being  the  offices  of  the  president  and  vice-president,  as  illustrated, 
opening  into  a  reception  apartment,  back  of  which,  at  one  side,  is 
the  Order  Department,  and,  at  the  other  side,  is  the  Accounting 
Department.  Still  further  back  is  the  continuation  of  the  Sales 
Department.  The  three  remaining  floors  of  the  building  are 
utilized  for  the  storage  of  goods. 

Descending  to  the  Sales  Department,  to  its  rear,  is  an  import¬ 
ant  branch  of  the  business.  It  is  portrayed  in  the  chapter-ending 
as  the  Neostyle  Department,  where  are  kept  a  stock  of  Duplicating 
Machines,  upon  which  the  company  owns  a  number  of  patents. 
The  usefulness  of  mechanical  appliances  for  duplicating  manuscript 
and  for  taking  copies  of  an  original  writing  is  daily  receiving 
greater  recognition.  The  well-equipped  business  office  employs  one 
or  more  of  the  various  devices  in  this  field,  whether  “  Neostyle,” 
“  Mimeograph,”  “  Cyclostyle,”  “  Diagraph  ”  or  others,  not  alone  for 
convenience  but  for  advertising  purposes.  The  advantages  of  a 
personal  appeal  accompany  a  circular-letter  thus  printed,  ensuring 
perusal,  whereas  printed  matter  is  hurriedly  glanced  over  or  care¬ 
lessly  tossed  by.  There  is  no  province  of  commercial  activity, 
professional  work  or  literary  effort — where  duplicates  are  needed — 
into  which  some  one  or  another  of  these  appliances  have  not  found 
their  way.  With  the  machines  have  come  supplies  adapted  to 


27 


ensure  the  best  results.  All  such  are  kept  here,  the  aim  being  to 
add  every  specialty  which  will  aid  the  operative  in  getting  out  the 
greatest  amount  of  work  in  the  shortest  time  and  at  the  lowest  cost. 
With  the  introduction  of  the  type-writer  has  arisen  a  whole  legion 
of  ingenious  auxiliaries  for  making  copies,  either  carbon  or  letter- 
press,  and  it  is  now  possible  to  produce  forty  copies  of  the  original 
writing,  without  further  labor  than  the  one  key-board  operation. 

As  it  is  here,  so  it  is  else¬ 
where ;  for  the  rapidity 
with  which  one  method 
supersedes  another  is  one 
of  the  marvels  of  modern 
Industry. 


29 


UKIJNLt  hfty 


the  business 
Company  h 
directions  — 
blank-books 


/ears  of  uninterrupted 


manufacturing  and  selling  different  specialties, 


operated  by  the  Wi 


as  especially  expandjed  in  two 


ane  of  which  is  the 


the  other  the  production  of  copy- 


activity  in 


liam  Mann 


making  of 


Derk  to  be  subsequently  manipulated  and  converted  in  its 
into  copying  books  for  dvery  conceivable  purpose.  In  the 


mg  papers 
factory 

blank-book  line,  all  processes  but  one  —  that  of  making  the  paper 
used  in  the  books — are  carried  on,  and  in  one  establishment,  under 
one  superintendence.  In  the  manufacture  of  copying  books,  in 


31 


which  tlie  paper  itself  must  have  certain  specific  properties,  the 
impartation  of  which  is  a  matter  of  knowledge  confined  to  the 
establishment  where  it  is  made,  it  becomes  necessary  both  to  bind 
the  books  and  make  the  paper,  as  well.  Accordingly,  the  William 
Mann  Company  operates  its  own  mills,  which  have  already  been 
mentioned  as  located  at  Lambertville,  N.  J.  Desiring  to  begin  at 
the  first  process,  prior  to  carrying  the  reader  through  the  living 
chain  of  processes  embodied  in  the  leading  specialties  of  this  firm, 


the  writer  requests  attention  to  what  is  one  of  the  most  interest¬ 
ing  stages  in  the  evolution  of  a  copying  book.  Paper-making  is 
to-day  becoming  more  and  more  precise,  and  a  knowledge  of 
materials  and  the  requisite  combination  of  stock  to  effect  the  given 
results  has  placed  it  within  the  power  of  the  scientific  paper-maker 
to  bring  forth  pretty  much  everything  that  is  desired.  There  are 
still  some  secrets,  however,  which  are  retained  as  the  private 
property  of  persons  or  firms,  and  these  constitute  the  specialties 


which  generally  win  a 
rich  harvest  for  their 
possessors  as  the  legiti¬ 
mate  fruitage  of  their 
experiment  and  enter¬ 
prise.  The  making  of 
copying  papers,  like  that 
of  other  grades  of  paper 
,  is  not  a  secret,  so  far  as  pro¬ 
cesses  are  concerned ;  it  is  in  the  materials 
employed  and  the  mixture  of  the  stock  that 
the  success  or  failure  of  the  results  are  founded.  Up  to  a  certain 
point,  paper-making  is  all  alike,  however  diverse  may  be  the  treat¬ 
ments  ;  beyond  that  point  the  skill  and  experience  of  the  workmen 
are  the  factors  which  ensure  desired  ends. 

The  raw  material  is  brought  to  the  mill  and  elevated  to 
storage  lofts,  in  which  it  is  contained.  The  chapter-heading  illus¬ 
trates  stock  being  fed  into  a  cutting  machine,  which  converts  it 
with  astonishing  rapidity  into  a  mass  of  finely  comminuted  hemp, 
etc.  This  process  is  executed  on  the  third  floor.  The  machine  is 
driven  by  power,  and  the  speed  of  conversion  is  only  limited  by 
the  quantity  that  can  be  fed  by  the  operative  into  the  capacious 
maw  of  the  iron  monster.  Being  cut,  the  material  is  ready  for  its 
second  process,  which  is  that  of  dusting.  Accordingly,  the  mass 
of  cut  stock  is  first  passed  through  a  machine  known  as  a 
“  duster,”  which,  by  means  of  a  current  of  air,  blows  away  the 
looser  particles  of  dust ;  it  is  then  sent  through  by  a  chute  to  the 
rotary  boilers,  on  the  floor  below,  partly  seen  in  the  illustration. 
Here,  by  using  chemicals,  the  stock  is  boiled  for  a  number  of 
hours  until  the  fibres  have  been  brought  to  a  proper  condition. 
The  liquor  is  run  off  and  the  stuff  taken  away  to  other  machines, 
called  “  washers,”  where  it  is  treated  in  pure  water  to  remove  the 
chemicals,  which  would  injure  the  fibres  if  allowed  to  remain,  and 
to  still  further  purify  the  mass  while  pulping  it.  These  machines 


33 


are  nothing  but  large  vats,  in  which,  by  means  of  revolving  rolls, 
etc.,  the  “stuff”  is  caused  to  effect  a  continuous  circulation  in  the 
receptacle,  so  as  to  present  every  part  of  the  material  to  the 
cleansing  action  of  the  water  which  has  been  introduced.  When 
the  final  washing  has  been  completed  the  pulp  is  ready  for  bleach¬ 
ing,  after  which  a  large  stock  pump  carries  it  to  the  drainers, 
where  for  several  days  a  further  process  of  bleaching  is  continued. 
Experience  and  great  care  is  required  in  reducing  stock  to  half¬ 
stuff.  Next  we  introduce  the  pulp  into  the  beating  engines.  The 
man  in  charge  of  this  department  understands  that  the  quality  of 
the  paper  depends  greatly  upon  his  knowledge  of  his  business  and 
the  cleanliness  of  his  surroundings.  After  a  careful  preparation  of 
the  stuff  in  the  beating  engines  it 
goes  to  the  stuff  chests,  from  whence 
it  is  taken  to  one  of  the  paper 
machines.  This  complicated  and 
wonderful  piece  of  machinery  re¬ 
ceives  the  pulp  in  a  diluted  state, 
and  with  surprising  skill  and  quick¬ 
ness  is  arranged  a  uniform  silken 
web,  thus  gradually  solidified, 
passing  endlessly  over  rolls  which 
compress  the  fibres  and  practically 
amalgamate  the  pulp ;  the  web  is  then  fed  through  rolls  which 
are  heated  from  the  inside  by  steam,  and  these  “  dryers  ”  accom¬ 
plish  the  balance  of  the  process.  The  web  passes  on  beneath  a 
rotary  cutter  attachment,  set  to  take  off  even  intervals  of  the  web 
according  to  the  speed  of  its  travel,  and  girls  receive  the  sheets 
and  complete  the  operation. 

The  process  is  not  complete  with  the  functions  thus  described, 
however ;  there  are  later  and  very  important  elements  to  be  still 
observed.  No  care  can  absolutely  obviate  the  chance  presence  of 
imperfect  sheets,  or  those  in  which  irregularities  prevent  their 
utilization.  The  utmost  care  is  employed  in  the  “Old  Reliable” 


One  of  the 
Paper.  Machine! 


34 


1  THEjiTOCKj 


mill  to  secure  uniformity  and  unvarying  excellence  of  output.  In 
the  remaining  department  of  the  mill,  shown  in  the  terminal  view, 
a  goodly  force  is  kept  constantly  employed  in  sorting,  counting 
and  assembling  the  finished  papers.  The  rapidity  with  which  one 
of  these  operators  can  run,  with  fingers  as  nimble  as  their  eyes 
are  keen,  through  a  pile  of  papers  from  the  machine,  thus  verify¬ 
ing  the  product  as  it  comes  from  the  girls  sitting  at  the  delivery 
end  thereof,  is  very  astonishing  to  one  unused  to  such  dexterity. 
The  care  that  is  exercised  to  prevent  any  imperfect  sheets  from 
being  packed  is  the  most  conspicuous  feature  of  the  management, 
and  the  system  adopted  has  proved  efficient  in  every  possible  way. 
When  counted,  assorted  and  packed,  shipment  is  made,  thus  com¬ 
pleting  the  operation. 

Every  grade  of  copying  paper,  of  which  the  William  Mann 
Company  makes  a  specialty,  is  produced  at  this  mill,  the  equipment 
of  which,  both  as  to  machinery  and  facilities,  has  been  carefully 
adapted  to  the  character  of  the  work  to  be  performed.  The  system 
observed  in  the  manufacture  is  identical  with  that  observed  in  the 
manufacturing  departments  of  the  Philadelphia  establishment ;  a 
regular  and  progressive  direction  is  given  each  order  all  the  way 
through  the  operations.  The  stock  is  received 
into  the  top  floors,  and  passes  down  in  defi¬ 
nite  consecution  to  floor  after  floor,  until  it 
emanates  a  completed 
product  from  the  ship¬ 
ping  department  on  the 
ground  floor.  The  hand¬ 
ling  is  thus  minimized,  • 
economy  is  conserved, 
and  expedition  greatly 
augmented.  The  facili¬ 
ties  of  the  machines  em¬ 
ployed  in  this  mill  is 
about  1,000,000  pounds 


1 


_  .  — : - '■ 


of  paper  yearly.  This  flows  out  in  the  various  channels  of  trade 
to  home  and  foreign  consumption,  affording  us  a  partial  idea  of 
one  branch  of  the  business.  The  methods  of  subsequent  manipu¬ 
lation  will  greet  us  in  the  Manufacturing 
Departments,  with  which  we  shall  next 
concern  ourselves. 


(HHg 


3« 


Imfm 

Vyvjv  i  |  TU  v  ><•  v 


^MANUFACTURING,  as  carried  on  at  the  present 
time,  is  synonymous  with  vastly  more  than  was 
included  in  the  term  a  few  years  back.  Then  a 
few  simple  machines  and  appliances  sufficed  to 
perform  what  the  handicraftsman  felt  lay  outside 
his  immediate  province  of  work.  Such  is  no  longer  the  situation. 
There  has  been  a  mighty  influx  of  new  ideas,  in  the  way  of 
machinery,  devices  and  processes  of  production, — all  tending  in  the 
direction  of  high-grade,  automatic  operation, — which  has  been  slowly 
but  surely  effecting  a  change  in  methods  as  well  as  means.  The 
latter,  however,  have  been  the  first  to  feel  the  revolution  and  to 
respond  to  the  influences.  Machinery  now  aims  at  performing  as 
much  of  the  entire  task  as  was  formerly  accomplished  by  several 
men,  and  the  greater  the  number  of  functions  embodied  in  the 
machine  the  more  complete  is  it  considered.  In  some  of  these 
products  of  inventive  genius,  the  end  is  worked  towards  with  an 


87 


<  <.  < 


intelligence  that  is  almost  beyond  the  human,  both  simple  and 
complex  operations  being  carried  ont  with  ecpial  excellence  to 
handiwork,  and  with  far  greater  regularity,  dispatch  and  economy. 

The  influences  generated  by  approved  appliances  is  nowhere 
more  palpably  manifest  than  in  the  making  of  blank-books  and  in 
the  kindred  departments  incorporated  in  the  manufactures  of  the 
William  Mann  Company.  In  the  new  factory  building,  where  have 
recently  been  installed  the  producing  departments  of  the  business, 
every  result  of  human  ingenuity,  whether  in  the  way  of  machinery 
or  processes,  is  present.  The  very  latest  devices  are  looked  for  by 
the  experienced  superintendent,  Robert  G.  Lucas,  who  has  but  to 
make  plain  their  utility  and  desirability  in  order  to  obtain  them. 
Whatever  will  facilitate  output,  or  will  elevate  the  standards  of 
production,  is  added  to  the  plant,  which  embodies  a  completeness 
and  modernty  wherein  the  officers  of  the  company  take  a  just 
pride. 

The  factory  building  is  situated  on  the  Northeast  corner  of 
Fifth  and  Commerce  Streets,  and  is  a  large  eight-story  and  base¬ 
ment  structure,  built  of  brick,  with  rich  terra-cotta  trimmings, 
ornately  designed  and  tastefully  applied.  Each  floor  comprises 
6000  square  feet  of  space,  thus  affording,  in  the  entire  building, 
an  area  of  54,000  square  feet 
which  is  all  occupied  with  the 
processes  of  manufacturing, 
the  storage  and  shipments  of 
raw  material  and  made-up 

ete 

power  and  electric  lighting 
plant  with  which  the  estab¬ 
lishment  is  equipped.  The 
style  of  the  building  is  the 
Spanish  renaissance,  that  odd 
but  pleasing  and  substantial 
revival  of  architectural  art 


goods,  and  the  compl 


which,  characterized  a  nation  of  mariners.  In  consequence,  the 
decorative  motifs  of  the  building,  shown  in  its  details  and  trim¬ 
mings,  comprise  the  mermaids,  sea-weed  and  shell  details,  which 
are  wrought  into  schemes  of  ornamentation  that  are  both  graceful 
and  appropriate  to  the  commercial  uses  of  the  structure. 

The  building  has  three  of  its  sides  open,  and  through  a  num¬ 
ber  of  expansive  windows  generous  quantities  of  light  and  air  are 
admitted  to  the  workrooms.  In  every  instance  the  safety  and 
comfort  of  employes  have  been  matters  for  careful  consideration. 
Escape  in  event  of  fire  has  been  absolutely  ensured.  Inside  the 
building  is  a  staircase  for  the  workmen,  having  iron  walls,  slate 
floors,  and  shut  off  from  the  rooms  by  tin-covered  doors,  always 
closed.  The  structure  is  what  is  known  as  a  slow-burning  edifice, 
and  as  near  fire-proof  as  practicable.  In  addition  to  such  inherent 
safeguards,  however,  a  completely  enclosed  and  independent  fire¬ 
proof  stairway  is  provided  (seen  in  the  view  of  the  building  to  the 
left).  This  escape  can  only  be  entered  from  the  outside  of  each 
floor,  through  a  door  opening  onto  an  ornate  iron  balcony,  which 
extends  across  and  in  front  of  a  window,  permitting  easy  egress 
from  the  workrooms.  An  automatic  sprinkler  service  is  also  pro¬ 
vided,  effecting  pneumatic  connection  by  flow  of  the  water  with  the 
Philadelphia  Fire  Department  and  Insurance  Patrol.  Such  precau¬ 
tions  as  a  hose  of  large  diameter  and  fire  buckets  are  located  on 
each  floor. 

For  a  proper  supply  of  water  to  the  sprinkler  system  and  fire 
hose  two  large  tanks  are  provided  at  an  elevation  above  the  roof, 
which  contain  ten  thousand  gallons  each,  —  quite  a  sufficient 
amount  of  water  to  extinguish  any  ordinary  fire — and  should  fire 
occur  during  working  hours  the  supply  of  water  can  be  fully 
kept  up  by  the  two  large  steam  pumps  in  basement,  which  are 
connected  directly  with  the  tanks.  A  large  tank  is  also  located 
on  the  roof  for  supplying  the  building  with  water  for  ordinary 
purposes. 


40 


The  order,  coming  as  we  have  previously  seen,  from  the  Order 
Department  in  the  Executive  Offices,  enter  the  factory  office,  and 
are  individually  recorded  by  their  respective  numbers.  This  record 
is  progressively  associated  with  each  other  all  the  way  through  its 
course  of  manufacture,  the  data  connected  with  each  stage  being 
attached  to  it.  If  inquiry  is  made  before  its  completion,  the  job  can 
be  immediately  located,  the  superintendent  communicated  with  by  a 
private  telephone  service,  and  the  condition  of  the  work  ascertained 
without  delay.  Between  the  main  offices,  at  529  Market  Street, 
and  each  manufacturing 
department  is  a  very 
complete  system  of  tele¬ 
phones.  The  orders  hav¬ 
ing  entered  the  factory, 
the  reader  is  invited  to  ac¬ 
company  us  in  a  general 
visit  to  the  respective 
departments  wherein 
hey  are 


41 


A  CHAPTER 
ABOUT  THE  STOCK  ROOM 


ppspp 


SPIW  competition  in  this-  progressive  age 
Remands  facilities  shall  of  the 

^W^F^nd  the-'b'est,  but  that  every  outTay  for  mate- 
TMls  or  supplies  be  made  at  first  hands.  The 
more  complex  the  channels  of  trade  through  which 
raw  material  has  to  pass  ere  it  reaches  the  manufacturer  the  higher 
will  be  its  cost.  In  recognition  of  this  business  truism,  the  William 
Mann  Company  draws  upon  the  producer  of  its  raw  materials  direct, 
purchasing  in  large  quantities  and  carrying  heavy  and  full  lines  of 
papers,  etc.,  all  procured  from  the  mills.  Ascending  to  the  eighth 
floor,  where  the  Paper  Stock  Room  is  situated,  occupying  the  entire 
area  of  6000  square  feet,  the  visitor  finds  himself  surrounded  with 
an  extensive  assortment  of  flat  papers,  employed  in  the  various 
branches  of  the  company’s  products.  Very  little,  if  any,  of  this 
has  been  purchased  through  commission  houses  or  dealers,  the  rule 
being  to  buy  at  first  hands  and  at  spot  cash  prices.  The  highest 
grades  are  thus  obtained  at  the  lowest  market  prices,  with  all  dis¬ 
counts  eliminated,  and  not  only  is  successful  competition  ensured 
so  far  as  other  manufacturers  are  concerned,  but  customers  are 
retained  by  receiving  the  benefit  of  the  economies.  The  William 
Mann  Company  has  vindicated  its  ability  to  unite  quality  with  the 


43 


lowest  price,  through  the  independence  of  its  purchasing  policy  as 
well  as  its  addition  of  improved  methods. 

This  department  is  at  the  top  of  the  building,  and  from  its 
windows  one  commands  a  vista  that  is  both  picturesque  and 
suggestive.  Looking  to  the  West,  an  important  section  of  the 
business  establishments  lying  between  Fifth  Street  and  the  new 
Public  Buildings  of  Philadelphia  spreads  away  at  some  distance 
below  the  height.  The  smoke  arising  from  the  numerous  chimneys, 
the  tall  buildings  which  here  and  there  rear  themselves  into  the 
landscape,  and  the  names  which  appear  upon  the  sides  of  the 
various  establishments  convey  forcibly  an  appreciation  of  the  in¬ 
dustrial  activity  of  a  great  city.  Towards  the  North,  where  the 
adjacent  river  front  of  New  Jersey  stretches  along  the  horizon,  are 
some  of  the  extensive  manufacturing  plants  for  which  Philadelphia 
has  won  an  enviable  reputation.  Cramp’s  shipyard  is  quite  dis¬ 
tinctly  seen,  and  the  waters  of  the  Delaware,  dotted  with  white 
sails  or  smoke-belching  steam  craft. 

In  the  process  of  manufacture,  orders  are  brought  up  to  this 
floor  as  the  initial  step,  and  to  each  order  is  carefully  apportioned 
the  allotted  quantity  of  paper,  which  is  carefully  counted  out  to 
conform  with  the  previous  estimate.  It  then  descends  with  the 
numbered  order,  which  in  all  else  has  lost  its  identity,  to  lower 
floors,  according  to  the  treatment  which  is  to  be  given  it.  If  it  is 
to  be  ruled  for  blank-book  work,  it  descends  to  the  Ruling  Depart¬ 
ment  upon  the  seventh  floor ;  if  not  requiring  such  operation,  it 
is  sent  to  the  Printing  Department,  as  the  case  may  be.  It  then 
returns  for  subsequent  manipulation. 

Perhaps  the  two  most  prominent  branches  of  the  manufac¬ 
turing  business  carried  on  by  the  William  Mann  Company  are 
comprised  in  the  production  of  blank-books  and  copying  papers. 
All  branches  proper  to  the  business  of  manufacturing  stationers, 
within  broad  lines,  are  incorporated  in  the  various  departments  of 
the  factory.  These  will  be  touched  upon  in  the  course  of  descrip¬ 
tion,  but  in  order  that  some  idea  may  be  gained  of  the  steps  taken 


46 


in  the  more  important  manufactures  mentioned  it  is  deemed  advis¬ 
able  to  tell  how  blank-books  are  made  and  how  copying  paper  is 
converted  into  book  form  for  distribution  to  customers.  Only  the 
operations  will  be  here  enumerated  ;  the  way  they  are  carried  out 
will  receive  attention  in  the  proper  places. 

In  producing  a  blank-book,  the  paper  is  first  ruled  or  printed, 
as  the  case  may  be,  which  is  accomplished  either  in  the  Ruling 
Department  on  the  seventh  floor,  or  in  the  Printing  Department 
on  the  second  floor.  The  paper  then  passes  to  the  fifth  floor  to 
be  folded.  If  a  small  lot,  folding  is  done  by  hand  ;  if  a  large  lot, 
the  operation  is  done  by  machine.  When  folded  into  sections,  the 
paper  is  made  up  into  books.  Waste  papers  are  added,  and  the 
books  are  sent  to  the  sewers.  Most  of  the  small  jobs  are  sewed  by 
hand,  while  the  large  ones  are  handled  by  machinery,  if  within  a 
certain  size  and  thickness.  The  books  then  ascend  to  the  sixth 
floor,  to  the  Forwarding  Department,  where  they  are  lined  with 
muslin.  The  latter  being  dry,  they  are  cut  on  front  and  then 
glued  up.  When  dried  again,  the  books  are  rounded,  cut  on  the 
ends,  greened  and  boarded,  and  (if  half-bound)  put  in  leather  after 
boarding.  They  are  next  sided  with  cloth,  paper,  canvas,  corduroy, 
and  like  material,  and  after  drying  are  sent  to  finishers,  who  do 
the  lettering  in  gold  and  apply  the  minute  details  of  completion 
and  elaboration.  The  books  are  pasted  up  and  placed  in  the  press 
to  ensure  smoothness  to  the  waste  papers,  as  well  as  solidity  to  the 
volume.  If  full-bound,  the  books  are  strapped  after  they  have  been 
cut  and  greened.  When  dried,  they  are  then  boarded  and  patent 
backs  are  made,  consisting  of  one  or  two  extra  tar  trunk-boards, 
made  for  the  purpose,  according  to  the  thickness  of  the  book. 
Where  the  book  is  thick  two  boards  are  glued  together  after  being 
formed  to  suit  the  curve  of  the  back.  Raised  bands  or  hubs  are 
then  put  on,  after  which  the  books  are  put  in  leather  and  follow 
the  same  procedure  as  the  half-bound  books. 

Copying  paper  is  converted  into  bound  form  upon  one  floor, 
where  all  the  operations  are  performed.  The  thin  sheets  are  cut 


47 


to  size,  counted  and  arranged  into  sections,  and  sewn  into  what  is 
practically  an  endless  book  at  an  ingenious  machine,  from  the 
product  of  which  a  sufficient  number  of  sections  are  separated  to 
form  a  book  of  the  thickness  required.  These  are  bound  up  into 
books  and  numbered,  or  rather  paged,  with  astonishing  rapidity. 

Few  who  use  account  books  or  articles  of  similar  utility  give 
much  thought  to  the  ingenuity  and  expenditure  of  skill  therein 
embodied.  It  is  hoped  that  some  conception  of  the  latter  may  be 
had  in  the  visit  to  departments  wherein  the  actual  processes  are 
going  on. 


4ft 


ILING,  as  applied  to  paper,  is  a  distinct  art  in 
itself,  entirely  independent  of,  although  inti 
liiately  associated  with,  blank-book  making.  It 
is,  moreover,  the  first  process  to  which  paper  is 
subjected  in  producing  books  wherein  records 
of  income  and  expenditure,  etc.,  are  to  be 
kept.  As  a  strictly  mechanical  process,  it  requires  the  niceties 
of  delicately  adjusted  machinery  to  give  best  results.  As  an  art 
demanding  some  chemical  and  expert  knowledge,  it  requires  super¬ 
vision  of  an  intelligent  kind.  It  is  divided  into  classes,  according 
to  the  character  of  the  lines  ruled  and  the  directions  thereof. 
Where  a  ruling  is  given  the  paper,  which  covers  it  along  its  entire 
length  or  width  with  parallel  lines  (usually  ruled  on  with  pale 
blue  ink),  the  method  is  known  as  “  faint  lining.”  Where  the 
paper  is  ruled  with  vertical  lines,  beginning  or  terminating  at  one 
or  more  definite  points  on  the  sheet,  the  method  is  called  “  down 
lining  ”  or  “  stopwork.”  The  latter  ruling  is  variously  done  in 
dark  blue,  red  or  green  inks. 


41) 


We  are  now  on  the  seventh  floor  of  the  William  Mann 
Company's  factory,  where  all  the  paper-ruling  is  clone.  To  this 
point  are  sent  the  different  grades  of  linen  ledger  papers  from  the 
floor  above.  They  are  received  by  the  ruler,  the  condition  of  their 
edges  is  carefully  examined,  and  the  latter  are  squared  at  the 
cutting  machine,  if  that  is  necessary.  Those  ruled  on  one  side 
require  but  two  squared  edges ;  those  ruled  on  both  sides  require 
three  edges  to  be  trimmed. 

Ruling  is  done,  with  the  general  run  of  job-work,  upon  pen¬ 
ruling  machines  for  one  side,  and  the  large  runs  sent  to  automatic 
machines,  technically  known  as  “  double-deckers,”  into  which  the 
sheet  is  fed  automatically,  ruled  up-and-down  and  across  by  the 
same  means,  and  then  reversed  and  operated  on  the  other  side, 
making  the  process  a  perfecting  one.  In  pen-ruling  machines 
the  pens,  which  are  a  special  device,  are  carried  in  a  clamp,  and 
receive  ink  from  a  piece  of  flannel  saturated  with  the  color.  At 
each  end  of  the  machine  are  two  wooden  rollers,  around  which 
revolves  a  web  of  moleskin  cloth,  a  series  of  cords  holding  the 
paper  where  it  belongs  and  feeding  it  along  while  being  ruled. 
The  paper  is  fed  by  means  of  a  gauge  in  front  of  the  machine,  so 
that  it  accurately  enters  and  is  borne  by  the  cloth  beneath  the 
pens,  receiving  the  r 
to  the  back  end  of  the 
it  is  carried  by  cords 
again.  The  ruled  sheets  pass  around 
the  front  roller,  are  carried  by  another 
travelling  cloth  through  the  machine 
and  deposited  in  a  recep¬ 
tacle,  to  be  jogged  up 
by  what  is  known  as  a 
“  lay-boy,”  which  evens 
up  the  sheets  in  a  pile 
so  that  they  will  lay 
uniformly. 


Ill  the  old  days  of  handicraft,  ruling  was  done  by  manual 
means,  and  the  transition  from  such  methods  to  the  wonderful 
automatism  of  the  latest  machinery  exceeds  belief.  The  “  double- 
deckers  ”  employed  upon  this  floor  for  extensive  runs  are  of  the 
most  approved  pattern,  built  by  an  old  and  enterprising  concern. 
As  seen  in  the  illustration,  the  sheets  are  laid  in  a  huge  pile  in 
front  of  this  machine,  and  are  fed  by  an  extremely  accurate  bit  of 
mechanism  into  the  machine,  sheet  by  sheet,  passing  beneath  pens 
to  receive  one  ruling,  on  one  side,  and  then  being  reversed  in  their 
travel  to  receive  a  ruling  on  the  other  side.  The  capacity  of  such 
machines  are  very  great,  and  only  the  largest  runs  can  be  profitably 
handled  with  them.  It  is  such  auxiliaries  to  production  that  raise 
the  capacity  of  manufacturing  establishments  to  the  amazing  extent 
of  latter-day  consumption. 

Sixteen  Hickolc  ruling  machines  are  located  upon  the  seventh 
floor,  under  the  superintendence  of  William  A.  Arnold,  who  has  been 
in  the  employ  of  the  company  for  34  years.  It  was  Mr.  Arnold 
who  set  up  and  ran  the  first  ruling  machine  when  this  company 
began  manufacturing  in  1864,  since  which  time  so  many  improve¬ 
ments  have  been  added  to  conform  with  the  advance  of  trade.  The 
processes  in  force  upon  the  seventh  floor  extend  beyond  paper¬ 
ruling.  Here  are  stored  (as  also  on  the  eighth  floor)  an  immense 
quantity  of  bank  checks,  belonging  to  various  banks  and  banking 
houses  throughout  the  United  States,  and  kept  in  stock  for  the 
convenience  of  these  establishments.  From 
this  stock  books  are  ordered  for  depositors, 
with  the  names  of  the  latter  printed  therein. 

Much  lower  prices  naturally 
attend  orders  in  large  quantities 
than  those  where  single  lots  are 
asked  for,  an  advantage  which 
banks  have  not  been  slow  to 
avail  themselves  of.  The  pro¬ 
duction  of  checks  and  their 


f  \  r)  - 


conversion  into  book  form  is  a  very  large  branch  of  industry,  and  no 
minor  portion  of  the  trade  is  held  by  the  William  Mann  Company. 
At  the  last  taking  of  stock,  1,500,000  customers’  checks  were  tabu¬ 
lated,  and  more  than  2600  banking  concerns  recorded  as  patrons. 
A  number  of  automatic  perforators  are  employed  in  manipulating 
the  printed  or  lithographed  sheets  —  cpiite  a  contrast  to  the  old 
style  of  perforators,  wherein  the  weight  of  a  man  upon  a  treadle 
was  required  to  effect  the  perforations.  In  these  new  patterns  of 
machines  a  slight  touch  upon  a  treadle  releases  a  pin,  which  causes 
the  depression  of  the  head  carrying  the  perforators  to  be  actuated 
by  power.  Checks,  notes,  drafts  and  kindred  blanks  are  rendered 
detachable  from  stubs  by  such  means.  Paper-cutting  machinery  of 
the  heaviest  and  most  recent  build,  as  well  as  machines  for  folding 
paper  and  other  apparatus, _ _ 


5Ji 


operations  proper  to  blank-book  making,  for 
wliicli  we  now  have  onr  sheets  ruled,  a 
descent  is  made  to  the  .fifth  floor,  where  the 
principal  processes  carried  on  relate  to  blank- 
book  sewing. 

In  the  process  of  blank-book  work,  books  to  receive  printed 
headings  are  sent  to  the  Printing  Departments  first  of  all ;  but  those 
not  to  be  printed  go  direct  to  the  folders,  and  are  then  made-up. 
The  sheets  are  scrutinized  carefully  by  the  operative  at  this  point, 
no  finger-marks  or  stains  being  permitted,  nor  any  imperfect  ruling 
or  printing.  Folding  is  a  skilled  operation,  as  uniform  margins 
must  be  obtained.  When  this  has  been  effected,  the  books  are 
counted  off  and  are  properly  divided.  If  heavy,  small  straps  of 
muslin  are  pasted  into  the  first  and  last  several  sections  of  the 
book  to  give  strength,  as  soon  as  folding  is  done.  The  sheets  are 
then  left  to  dry.  If  the  book  is  to  have  divisions  with  lettered 
tabs,  these  are  fastened  to  the  book  by  two  strips  of  muslin  ap¬ 
plied  on  either  side  of  the  leaf.  The  sections  are  next  well-rubbed 
down  with  a  tool  called  a  “  folding  stick,”  and  the  heavy  books 


pressed  to  give  solidity 
and  firmness.  Sewing  is 
now  proceeded  with.  The 
mode  of  sewing  varies  in 
accordance  with  the  style  of 
binding  determined  upon, 
whether  “half-bound  ”  or 
“  full-bound.”  Half-bind¬ 
ings  are  those  with  leather 
backs  and  corners,  and  the 
sides  of  other  materials, 
such  as  cloth,  paper,  etc. 

Full-bindings  are  those  of 
full  canvas,  or  leather,  with 
corners  of  russia  leather, 
or  ends  or  bands  of  the  same  material ;  they  also  include  those  where 
“full  extra  russia”  constitutes  the  appellation.  It  is  unnecessary 
to  give  the  variety  of  technical  classes  into  which  bindings  for 
blank-books  are  grouped  ;  those  given  are  the  broad  classifications. 

Before  sewing  the  books  end-papers  are  inserted  as  leaves  both 
at  the  front  and  back  of  the  book,  and  the  substantiality  of  the 
stitch  exactly  parallels  the  weight  of  the  book  to  be  unified.  The 
larger  the  book  the  stronger  the  sewing.  No  flimsy  catches  of 
thread  will  do  here.  One  of  the  huge  ledgers  or  registers  which 
go  out  of  this  establishment  to  banks  and  kindred  institutions  is 
intended  for  rough  handling  and  constant  usage.  Everything 
entering  into  it,  whether  of  material  or  of  handling,  must  be  the 
incarnation  of  permanency  and  flexibility.  The  book  must  not  only 
be  impervious  to  careless  treatment ;  it  must  lie  open  easily  and 
flatly.  The  covers  must  not  warp ;  the  backs  must  not  crack  off 
and  split  away  from  the  paper;  all  attributes  must  be  just  so.  As 
direct  consequences  of  these  requirements,  the  amount  of  skill  and 
ingenuity  which  enters  into  the  production  of  a  blank-book  of  the 
better-class  is  well-nigh  incredible. 


5(i 


;(*«r 


The  difference  in  strengths  of  blank-book 
sewing  resides  in  the  number  of  bands  upon 
which  the  book  is  sewn,  as  well  as  the 
strength  of  the  tapes  and  thread  employed. 
The  object  in  view  must  be  well  kept  in 
mind,  viz. :  that  the  union  of  each  single  part 
must  be  effected  not  only  among  themselves, 
but  with  relation  to  the  finished  book.  To 
disregard  any  one  of  the  processes  is  to  admit  an  element  which 
can  never  be  rectified  when  its  stage  has  been  passed. 

From  time  to  time,  as  the  sections  are  sewed,  they  are  tapped 
down  well  with  a  hammer  and  rubbed,  so  that  the  glue  will  have 
no  difficulty  in  entering  where  it  belongs.  Swell  enough  is  left  at 
the  back  to  furnish  the  spring  needed  to  the  bound  book.  When 
sewn,  the  slips  are  tightened,  small  muslin  straps  are  pasted  where 
the  end  papers  join  the  back,  and  the  books  are  trimmed  at  fronts 
and  edges. 

The  Blank-Book  Sewing  Department  of  the  William  Mann 
Company  also  contains  that  half  of  the  bindery  which  is  devoted  to 
the  “  half-bound  ”  work,  whereas  the  “  full-bound  ”  work  is  performed 
on  the  sixth  floor.  On  the  fifth  floor  is  also  located  a  department 
unique  in  itself,  that  of  leather-cutting,  where  all  of  the  very 
expensive  leather  used  is  cut  by 
professionals,  whose  functions  are 
to  reduce  wastage  to  the  smallest 
possible  fraction.  Under  the  old  plan, 
each  “  forwarder  ”  cut  his  own  leather, 
which,  with  undue  haste  or  careless¬ 
ness,  frequently  resulted  in  great 
waste.  As  the  policy  of  the  company 
is  the  elimination  of  the  disadvan¬ 
tages  which  form  so  many  sinking 
funds  for  profits  in  less  conservative 
managements,  this  feature  of  the  trade 


lias  been  revolutionized,  as  well.  The  plan  has  resulted  in  a  large 
saving  of  stock  and  time,  and  these  it  is  the  aim  to  place  to  the 
credit  of  the  customer,  who  reaps  the  advantage. 


In  addition  to  the  operations  mentioned,  the  fifth  floor  is 
equipped  for  tablet-making,  numbering  checks  and  drafts,  etc.,  and 
for  binding  checks  as  well.  It  is  practically  a  department  for 
making-up,  preliminary  to  the  remaining  processes  forming  a  part 
of  production.  The  facilities  accordingly  partake  of  this  character. 
Wire-stitching  and  stapling  machinery,  for  side  and  saddle  stitch, 
are  employed,  as  well  as  machines  for  sewing,  notably  the  Smyth 
sewing  machine,  of  which  an  illustration  is  presented.  This  re¬ 
markable  piece  of  mechanism  receives  the  sections  of  the  book, 
sews  them  together,  and  sews  the  tapes  to  the  backs  at  one  opera- 


Leather,,  Cutting 


59 


tion,  and  feeds  them  in  a  continuous  book  to  the  back  end  of  the 
machine,  where  a  girl  separates  the  number  of  sections  required. 
The  capacity  of  the  machine  is  governed  by  the  rapidity  with 
which  it  can  be  fed. 

As  checks  are  wanted,  they  are  turned  into  this  floor  for 
binding.  Seven  rapidly  running  check-numbering  machines  are 
here  kept  busy  on  this  kind  of  work,  capable  of  numbering  up  to 
six  units,  and  some  to  seven  units,  consecutively.  There  are  also 
corner-cutting  machines,  for  cutting  out  the  corners  for  blank-books, 
folding  machines,  hydraulic  and  standing  presses,  and  a  remarkable 
little  machine  for  paring  down  leather  as  thin  as  a  sheet  of  tissue 
paper.  In  this,  as  in  all  other  departments,  it  is  the  aim  of  the 
management  to  have  the  most  expert  workmen,  to  permit  none  but 
the  best  materials,  and  to  utilize  only  processes  of  known  value  and 
reliability.  In  blank-book  making  efficient  superintendence  is  as 
necessary  as  extreme  care.  Speed  is  desirable,  but  haste  is  forbidden. 
Each  process  in  the  entire  chain  demands  as  much  caution  as  any 
other,  and  when  a  book  is  turned  out  it  is  as  near  perfection  as  skill 
and  training  can  accomplish.  A  well-made  blank-book  is  in  actual 
fact  a  work  of  industrial  art.  Into  its  production  enter  decades  of 
earnest  experiment  and  invention.  Few  who  use  blank-books  realize 
this,  or,  if  they  appreciate  the  character  of  the  work,  keep  themselves 

informed  as  to  the 

22. 


rapid  progress  con¬ 
stantly  being  made 
in  the  appliances 
to  facilitate  it. 


END  OF 


the  indefinite  meanings! 
of  trade  phraseology  to  the  layman,  the  terms' 
employed  in  blank-book  making  are  quite  simple 
and  appropriate.  There  are  two  broad  processes 
that  await  ns  as  we  follow  the  blank-book 
through  its  various  stages,  and  these  are  known  respectively  as 
‘‘forwarding”  and  “finishing.”  By  the  first  is  meant  all  opera¬ 
tions  connected  with  covering  the  book,  putting  it  between  boards, 
etc.,  etc.  It  is  the  series  of  steps  whereby  the  book  is  carried 
forward  to  the  point  when  finishing  touches  are  applied.  By 
“  finishing  ”  is  meant  this  last  chain  of  operations  ;  it  is  the  work 
of  the  artist  rather  than  of  the  artisan.  Here  are  introduced  those 
artistic  elements  which  converts  the  blank-book  into  a  thing  of 
beauty.  The  “  forwarder  ”  then  is  the  handicraftsman  who  cases 


the  book  and  covers  it ;  the  “  finisher  ”  is  the  artist  who  ornaments 
and  completes  it.  Both  processes  are  carried  into  effect  upon  the 
sixth  floor  of  the  establishment,  and  here  also  it  will  be  remem¬ 
bered  that  “  full-bound  ”  work  is  done.  A  large  corps  of  adepts  in 
each  branch  of  the  art  is  employed,  beneath  whose  dexterous  hands 
the  unshapely  masses  of  sewn  paper  assume  form  and  comeliness. 

Our  blank-book  has  been  sewn  ;  it  must  now  be  forwarded. 
The  book,  as  made-up,  is  first  of  all  lined-up  with  muslin,  after 
which  the  front  is  trimmed.  Gluing  is  the  next  operation.  The 
functions  of  this  very  essential  manual  process  is  self-evident ;  the 
sewn  sections  must  be  both  firmly  and  closely  united  to  each 
other,  strength  being  a  consideration  which  no  forwarder  will  dare 
to  disregard.  When  dry,  the  book  is  rounded  in  order  to  give  the 
curvatures  at  back  and  foredge.  The  workman  places  the  book 
upon  a  solid  table  or  an  iron  block,  and  with  the  fingers  of  the  left 
hand  gently  urges  the  foredge  towards  him,  the  right  hand  in  the 
meanwhile  swinging  an  implement  known  as  a  “  bench  hammer,” 
with  which  he  taps  the  book  along  its  back  until  the  latter  is  so 
perfectly  rounded  that  the  arc  of  a  pair  of  compasses  equals  the 
curve  effected,  and  until  the  foredge  will  exhibit  a  smooth  and 
uniform  curve  with  no  protruding  surfaces.  The  books  are  laid 
between  boards  and  subjected  to  a  moderate  pressure  for  some 
hours  before  the  next  operation  begins.  They  are  cut  or  trimmed 
at  head  and  tail  (the  ends),  and  are  ornamented  on  the  edges  with 
the  color  that  is  desired,  green  being  mostly  used  in  this  establish¬ 
ment.  There  are  three  ways  of  imparting  decorative  finish  to  the 
edges  of  a  blank-book  :  the  first  of  which  is  “  marbling,”  the  second 
“  dyeing,”  and  the  third,  or  most  expeditious  and  substantial,  the 
operation  called  a  “  waxed  edge.”  This  latter,  which  we  alone  need 
describe,  is  done  by  dissolving  beeswax  over  heat,  and  sprinkling 
it  evenly  but  lightly  over  the  edge  to  be  colored.  The  color  is 
then  passed  over  the  edge  with  a  brush  or  sponge,  without  regard 
to  the  spots  of  wax  beneath.  After  drying,  the  wax  is  scraped  off 
and  by  burnishing  a  brilliant  gloss  is  imparted.  We  infer  that  the 


book  is  to  be  full-bound,  like  one  of  those  imposing  books  of 
account  seen  in  the  numerous  exhibitions  throughout  the  country 
where  the  William  Mann  Company  has  always  been  adequately 
represented.  The  book,  being  “  greened,”  is  next  strapped-off  on 
the  back,  and  making  the  “lugs”  or  “  stays  ”  is  proceeded  with. 
The  covers  must  be  prevented  from  bending  in  on  the  book  when 
closed,  and  so  it  is  necessary  to  effect  an  elevation  between  them 
and  the  book  at  that  point.  Accordingly,  the  workman  glues  the 
outermost  leaf  of  the  book,  laps  it  around  and  around  until  the 
folding  brings  it  close  to  the  edge  of  the  back,  making  a  stiff  stay 
at  that  point.  This  is  later  on  glued  between  the  boards  forming 
the  cover. 

The  forwarder  now  takes  a  piece  of  leather  (flesher  or  split 
goat)  and  presses  it  well  down  on  the  back,  letting  it  overlap  about 
two  inches  on  either  side.  He  glues  this  plentifully,  draws  it 
rapidly  and  tightly  over  the  back,  and  rubs  it  down  well  to  ensure 
adhesion.  The  boards  are  next  applied,  already  previously  cut  to 
the  proper  size  and  strength  in  accord  with  the  weight  of  the  book 
to  be  made.  The  William  Mann  Company  own  the  rights  for  the 
best  methods  of  making  flat-opening  blank-books,  whereby  a  perfect 
writing  surface  is  presented  when  a  book  is  opened  at  any  of  its 
parts.  These  methods  it  is  unnecessary  to  describe. 

Being  trimmed  to  the  proper  size,  the  boards  are  ready  for 
use.  Patent  backs  are  made  —  the  trade  name  being  “  spring 
backs” — by  cutting  tar  trunk-boards  the  same  length  of  the  boards 
for  the  front  and  back,  letting  them  be  slightly  wider  than  the 
back  of  the  book  so  as  to  overlap  on  either  edge.  These  tar 
boards  are  moistened  with  water,  subjected  to  heat  and  formed  to 
suit  the  curve  of  the  back.  They  are  drawn  on  the  book  with  a 
piece  of  canvas  after  this  is  done. 

On  large  ledgers  and  similar  books  there  are  raised  projections, 
called  “  hubs,”  at  the  back.  These  are  glued  onto  the  back  of  the 
book.  Russia  leather  is  then  put  on  and  well  rubbed  down,  when 
the  book  is  again  placed  in  the  standing  press.  The  leather  or 


^  OR*  Alif),. 


^\^\5H  INq) 
,<<e,tAN^  '• 


360 OK 5 


canvas  covers  are  then  applied,  when  the 
book  leaves  the  forwarder  to  be  finished. 

Taking  the  book,  which  is  yet  far 
from  complete,  the  finisher  first  of  all 
trims  down  the  russia  leather  with  neatness 
and  dispatch,  buffing  off  the  flesher  with 
powdered  pumice  to  freshen  and  clean  it. 
The  black  bit  of  leather  to  receive  the  title 
is  then  cut  to  fit  into  the  panels  between 
the  bands  and  is  pasted  on.  The  ornamen¬ 
tation  of  the  back  is  now  in  order.  Good 
taste  dictates  that  the  decorative  scheme 
shall  be  simple  and  yet  beautiful.  It  is 
the  function  of  the  upper  blank  to  receive 
the  designation  of  the  book  ;  that  is,  what 
purpose  it  is  intended  to  conserve.  In  the 
centre  panel  appears  the  year,  etc.,  while  the 
panel  at  the  bottom  receives  the  firm  name. 
These  are  stamped  on  or  impressed  on  by  hand,  in  gold.  Russia 
leather  on  the  sides  are  treated  in  the  same  way  as  the  back.  The 
tooling  is  done  upon  the  scale  of  elaborateness  or  simplicity  desired 
by  the  customer,  who  may  either  wish  to  have  a  perfectly  plain 
front  and  back,  or  covers  of  more  decorative  character.  There  are 
many  ways  in  which  geometrical  figuring  is  laid  on,  and  each 
different.  Heated  rollers  enters  into  almost  all  of  them,  a  small 
tool  being  used  to  impress  a  section  of  the  decoration  if  hand¬ 
tooling  is  employed.  An  artist  first  draws  the  design,  after  which 
the  finisher  interprets  it  upon  the  book  cover.  When  finished,  the 
blank-book  is  pasted  up  to  give  smoothness  to  the  waste-papers 
and  is  placed,  with  its  fellows,  in  the  standing  press.  It  is  then 
paged,  examined  by  the  foreman,  and  passed  down  to  the  shipping 
department. 

The  Blank-book  Department  of  the  William  Mann  Company 
is  equipped  with  whatever  improvements  mechanics  or  inventors 


G6 


->fr  ->ir  H r  Nr  -sk  H r 


have  provided.  The  system  tends  towards  cleanliness  and  expedi¬ 
tion.  Here,  one  sees  blank-books  of  every  kind  and  description, 
from  the  small  low-priced  account-book  for  ordinary  uses  to  the 
mammoth  register  or  ledger  for  use  in  public  institutions,  with 
rich  russia  sides  and  ornate  gold-tooled  scheme  of  decoration. 
There  is  no  size  of  book  too  large  for  production,  the  department 
having  turned  out  a  register,  upon  one  occasion,  weighing  360 
pounds,  bound  in  the  finest  russia,  and  embellished  with  original 
gold-toolings.  This  volume  was  exhibited  at  the  Cotton  States 
and  International  Exhibition,  and  attracted  considerable  attention, 
both  from  its  massive  bulk  and  beauty. 

A  most  suggestive  process  is  that  of  machine-paging,  whereby 
a  girl  can  turn  out  many  times  the  work  of  a  man,  under  the  old 
method  of  hand-paging.  Formerly,  the  workman  was  compelled 
to  apply  each  number  by  a  tool,  patiently  and  laboriously  going 
through  the  pages  of  a  huge  book  until  it  was  separately  paged, 
leaf  by  leaf.  Now,  the  operative  merely  separates 
the  leaves  of  the  blank-book,  to  permit  of  the 
passage  between  two  of  them  of  an  endless  num¬ 
bering  chain  carrying  the  numerals,  and  by 
working  a  treadle  an  impression  is  made. 

In  this  department  are 
located  the  very  latest  machin¬ 
ery  and  appliances.  There  is 
a  large  steam  stamping  press, 
doing  with  dies  what  was 
formerly  done  by  hand  upon 
the  covers  of  inexpensive 
books,  and  effecting  a  decora¬ 
tion  thereupon  by  means  of 
heat  or  scorching;  also 
smaller  machines  for  stamp¬ 
ing  titles  and  sides  of  smaller 
books.  There  are  hydraulic 


presses  and  standing  presses,  steam 
back-rounding  machines  for  forming 
the  curved  back  already  described, 
and  machines  for  cutting  and  analo¬ 
gous  operations.  The  old  method  of 
heating  glue  with  gas  or  steam  has 
also  been  dispensed  with,  and  electric 
glue  pots  are  employed  instead. 

The  “  finishers  ”  in  this  depart¬ 
ment  are  located  at  a  series  of  tables 
next  the  windows  on  the  north  side 
of  the  room,  so  that  they  may  have 
the  best  light  upon  their  work  ;  among 
them  are  the  most  skillful  workmen 
obtainable  in  this  country.  All  sup¬ 
plies  are  carried  in  large  quantities, 
and  the  boards  for  the  backs  are 
made  up  a  long  time  ahead,  being  kept  in  drying  bins  so  as  to 
ensure  seasoning.  Whatever  can  make  production  better,  more 
economical  and  more  in  accord  with  the  progressive  policy  of  the 
company  has  been  adopted  here,  as  in  other  departments. 


ew  w^mABour  m 

^DEPARTMENT 


N1 


COPYING  B00I 


1 


|±::':ri 


'  i 


USsSt... 


L  S 


Vi 


|1 

| 


-V 

I 


3u> 

f 


r> 


r  TENSE  as  is  the  competition  which 
characterizes  the  commercial  realms  to¬ 
day,  —  partly  as  the  result  of  superior 
\!  I  $//  mechanical  means  of  production,  partly 

/  L  as  the  result  of  an  accurate  knowledge 

. vn  ,,t  as  to  what  production  costs,  —  there  are 

VN  /7/f 

T  specialties  in  which  it  is  minimized. 

/ik>  Such  lines  of  manufacture  enjoy  this  comparative 
immunity  solely  because  of  prior  occupancy  and  a 
possession  of  certain  methods  which,  at  some  one  point 
of  them,  are  not  known.  The  William  Mann  Company  has  been 
manufacturing  copying  papers  for  many  years,  utilizing  a  con¬ 
ception  originating  with  the  founder  of  the  house  and  steadily 
improving  its  means  and  methods  until  both  a  high  standard  of 
excellence  and  the  lowest  margin  of  cost  in  producing  have 
resulted.  This  superior  economy  it  has  been  the  policy  of  the 
house  to  augment,  never  departing  from  whatever  could  elevate 


# 


the  quality  of  its  output,  and  giving  the  customer  the  benefit  of 
its  improvements.  We  have  seen,  while  at  the  mill  in  Lambert- 
ville  where  copying  papers  of  all  grades  are  made,  the  process  of 
converting  raw  materials  into  the  finished  sheet  of  translucent 
paper,  or  tissue  copying.  We  have  now  to  watch  the  interesting 
modes  of  converting  the  paper,  which  in  turn  has  become  our  raw 
material,  into  bound  books  of  different  kinds  for  use  in  the  trade 
consuming  them,  —  a  trade  comprising  firms,  corporations  and  rail¬ 
roads  in  this  and  other  countries. 

Let  us  leave  the  Stock  Room  on  the  eighth  floor,  whither  we 
revert  for  a  continuous  knowledge  of  the  system  observed  in  the 
department  before  us,  and  descend  to  the  fourth  floor,  where  we 
shall  find  ourselves  in  an  immense  room,  surrounded  with  piles  of 
books  in  every  stage  of  manipulation.  The  implements  employed 
by  skilled  handicraft  appear  on  every  side,  the  steady  hum  of  in¬ 
dustry  making  a  suggestive  accompaniment  to  the  sight  of  a  large 
corps  of  workmen  here  engaged.  We  are  practically  in  another 
bindery,  but  one  where  every  process  and  mechanical  device  bear 
specific  reference  to  the  end  to  be  conserved.  As  the  business  is, 
in  a  laro-e  measure,  original,  so  the  machines  bear  an  analogous 
impress,  some  of  them  being  of  exclusive  design  employed  nowhere 
else.  The  process  is  not  unlike  that  with  which  we  have  already 
become  familiarized.  The  paper  is  received  from  the  eighth  floor, 
bearing  the  invariable  ensignia  of  identity  in  the  shape  of  the 
number  given  the  job,  and  goes  through  the  operation  known  as 
“  making-up.”  There  are  distinctions  of  terms  in  technology,  as 
elsewhere,  and  making-up  relates  to  those  functions  which,  in  the 
publishing  business,  begin  with  “  collating.”  With  books  printed 
in  signatures,  the  operation  of  getting  them  together  into  unified 
form  is  called  “  gathering  ” ;  that  of  affecting  their  juncture  is 
called  “collating.”  “Making-up”  is  the  kindred  process  where 
books  without  signatures,  as  in  blank-books,  etc.,  are  handled. 

The  sections  of  copying  paper,  assembled  together  in  sections 
containing  a  certain  number  of  sheets  each,  folded  once  in  the 


70 


middle  so  as  to  be  the  approximate  size  of  the  book,  are  sewn  by 
the  book  sewing  machines  upon  this  floor,  the  bands  being  applied 
at  the  same  time.  The  amount  required  for  the  book  is  cut  away 
from  the  continuous  book  forming  at  the  back  of  the  machine, 
when  after  certain  details  are  attended  to  the  book  is  rounded  and 
cut,  then  paged  and  finally  bound  in  the  style  desired. 

Being  devoted  exclusively  to  the  production  of  copying  books, 
the  fourth  floor  has  been  made  to  conform  in  all  respects  to  the 
requirements  of  this  branch  of  manufacturing  alone.  Hence  the 
machinery  and  appliances  have,  as  before  mentioned,  a  specialized 
character.  The  sewing  machines  upon  which  the  books  are  united 
have  been  constructed  with  particular  reference  to  copying-book 
work,  and  are  at  once  extremely  rapid  and  ingenious.  To  watch 
the  operative  open  a  section  of  paper  at  its  fold,  lay  it  in  the 
machine,  and  then  touch  a  treadle  which  sets  into  play  devices 
that  do  the  balance  of  the  work,  is  to  gain  an  object-lesson  in 
mechanics.  By  means  of  the  power  thus  released,  the  mechanisms 
lift  the  section  beneath  a  head  carrying  a  series  of  semi-circular 
needles,  each  travelling  in  the  direction  of  its  own  curve  to  pass 
through  the  leaves  of  paper,  effect  a  stitch,  and  pass  the  section 
backwards.  The  endless 
strip  of  tape,  several  of 
which  are  at  the  top  of 
the  machine  to  be  sewn 
upon  the  back  of  the 
book  as  “  bands,”  is  also 
attached  in  a  manner 
somewhat  the  same,  in¬ 
stead  of  a  needle  another 
device  being  used.  It  is 
with  kindred  ingenuity 
that  the  visitor  contacts 
as  he  stands  before  the 
long  row  of  paging  ma- 


chines,  a  partial  view  of  which  is  shown,  with  the  rapid  click  of 
the  descending  numbering  heads  falling  upon  his  ears  and  the  dex¬ 
terous  fingers  of  the  operatives  lifting  leaf  after  leaf  to  successively 
page  them,  before  his  eyes.  These  machines  not  only  represent  an 
exclusive  design  of  the  company’s,  but  they  are  manufactured  by 
the  latter,  as  well,  being  confined  to  its  own  plant. 

The  terminal  view  to  the  chapter  is  instructive  as  a  comparison. 
Here  is  an  old  style  cutter  standing  side  by  side  with  the  newest 
of  automatic  machines,  both  representing  stages  of  progress  attained 
by  the  same  manufacturer.  In  the  machine  to  the  right,  the 
hand-labor  is  still  great;  in  that  to  the  left,  merely  adjusting  the 
machine  and  placing  the  paper  in  position  effects  the  entire  chain 
of  subsequent  manipulations.  One  is  clamped  by  devices  brought 
into  position  by  turning  a  hand-wheel ;  the  other  does  its  own 
automatic  clamping.  The  improvements  thus  shadowed  forth,  are 
what  constitute  the  differences  in  manufacturing  between  the 
present  day  and  twenty  years  ago. 


^OLD  and  NEW  CUTTER^ 


73 


m 


••aw* 


a|i 


put  into  operation  the 
it  frequently  transpires 


it  is  possible  to 
jfep'br  to  binding, 

a  job  requires  a  prior  treatment  in  the  Printing 
Departments.  These  are  divided  into  two  separate  functions, 
and  call  into  continual  use  an  extensively  equipped  plant  occupy- 

:t  .  ,  .v  •:  .y 

ing  the  third  and  second  floors. " ‘Upon  the  third  floor,' "  usurping 
the  greater  part  of  the  space,  is  the  Composing  Room,  of  which  a 
partial  representation  affords  an  idea  of  its  size,  and  in  this  de¬ 
partment  are  carried  a  stock  of  type-faces  and  display-letter  adapted 
to  every  requirement  of  jobbing  as  executed  in  the  establishment. 
The  arrangement  particularly  conserves  convenience,  and  the  facili¬ 
ties  in  the  way  of  stands,  cases,  and  the  hundred-and-one  little 
devices  that  are  being  daily  introduced  into  the  printing  business 
to  save  labor  and  time,  are  proof  against  criticism  from  the  practical 
compositor.  In  the  business  of  manufacturing  stationers,  which  is 
that  followed  by  the  William  Mann  Company,  a  department  of  job- 
work  is  a  necessity.  The  same  careful  management  as  characterizes 


T 


bit 

j 


75 


the  departments  already  visited  is  here  apparent,  wherever  one 
turns.  One  section  of  the  large  room  is  set  apart  for  a  Stereotyping 
Department,  in  which  skilled  workmen  effect  duplicates  of  such  jobs 
as  demand  long  “  runs  ”  at  the  presses,  thus  saving  the  type  from 
the  extreme  wear  consequent  thereupon.  To  those  who  are  not 
familiar  with  the  process,  it  is  both  novel  and  of  interest.  The 
composed  types,  locked  up  in  the  chase,  come  to  this  department, 
and  a  matrix  is  made  of  papier-mache,  etc.,  from  which  a  cast  is 
taken.  The  molten  metal  is  introduced  into  the  face  of  the  matrix, 
thus  forming  a  plate,  which,  as  the  matrix  was  an  intaglio,  will 
be  in  proper  relief  when  shaved  down  true  on  the  bade  and  blocked 
type-high  for  use  upon  the  presses.  The  process  is  more  expedi¬ 
tious  than  electrotyping  as  a  means  of  duplicating  printing  surfaces, 
the  long  delays  attending  the  deposit  of  copper  upon  the  graphited 
surface  of  the  wax  impression  taken  from  the  types  in  electrotyp¬ 
ing  requiring  hours,  where  stereotype-casting  requires  minutes. 

Upon  another  portion  of  this  floor,  occupying  one  corner  of 
the  room,  is  a  steam  Stamping  Department,  for  doing  embossed 
work  from  dies  of  every  character.  Both  hand  and  machine¬ 
stamping  are  here  executed  with  machines  of  approved  construction. 
Dies  ranging  from  one  inch  square  to  three  by  eight  inches  are 
handled  with  equal  celerity.  Stamping  is  an  attractive  process, 
requiring  no  little  skill  where  done  by  hand,  and  such  close  imita¬ 
tion  of  hand-functions  when  done  by  machine  that  few  machines 
have  been  at  all  successful.  The  form  of  machine  employed  by 
the  William  Mann  Company  was  decided  upon  after  careful  inves¬ 
tigation  of  the  merits  resident  in  the  several  methods  devised. 
The  machine  inks  the  die,  wipes  it,  effects  the  impression,  and 
restores  a  fresh  wiping  surface  for  the  next  impression,  all  accom¬ 
plished  automatically.  In  hand-stamping,  a  press  resembling  one  of 
the  old  time  copying  presses  is  employed.  The  inking  has  to  be 
done  by  hand,  and  a  peculiar  semi-rotary  wipe  imparted  with  the 
hand  also,  prior  to  the  impression.  The  turn  of  a  lever  causes  the 
impression  to  be  made. 


Leaving  these  departments  of  Composing,  Stereotyping  and 
Steam  Stamping,  and  descending  to  the  second  floor,  we  find  our¬ 
selves  in  an  immense  department  given  over  entirely  to  presswork. 
Long  lines  of  cylinder  presses,  pony  presses,  flat-bed  presses  and 
jobbers  are  here  busily  engaged  in  turning  out  printed  matter  of 
different  kinds.  Such  presses  are  used  as  possess  the  best 
ascertainable  utility  for  strictly  commercial  work  within  certain 
defined  lines.  Thirteen  power  presses  are  kept  busy  in  this  de¬ 
partment,  with  beds  of  a  size  capable  of  accommodating  small  as 
well  as  large  forms.  Nowhere  has  improvement  in  the  printing 
business  been  so  rapid  and  revolutionary  as  in  printing  machinery, 
where  the  discovery  of  new  movements,  radical  changes  in  details, 
and  better  adjustment  of  parts  incessantly  tend  to  increase  the 
speed  at  which  sheets  can  be  run,  and  without  any  deterioration  in 
quality.  Large  presses  are  to-day  the  secret  of  economic  printing, 
and  their  introduction  into  establishments  doing  large  quantities 
of  work  has  entirely  reversed  the  traditions  which  for  so  long  a 
period  dominated  the  art.  To  keep  on  a  plane  parallel  with  pro¬ 
gress  in  printing  necessitates  revision  of  plant  at  frequent  and 
periodic  intervals.  Long  before  the  machinery  in  a  latter-day  print¬ 
ing  office  is  unfit  for  use,  with  respect  to  wear,  it  is  superseded 
by  newer  machinery,  of  more  scientific  nature.  It  is  the  policy  of 
the  William  Mann  Company  to  maintain  the  status  of  its  printing 
plant  upon  a  level  not  surpassed  by  the  highest  known. 


79 


X 


large  jobjl^are  printed  ujjan  the  cylinder  , 
nesses,  while  those  of  le^r  sized  sheetsJL 
go  upon  the  pony  passes.  There  4?  great 
deal  of  printing,  however  in  which  the 
dimensions  of  the  surface  to  be  impressed  upoi*the  paper  are  ^ 
smaller  than  the  capacity  of  the  power  presses,  and  here  job 
presses  are  employed.  They  also  are  run  by  power,  but  are  called 
“  jobbers  ”  because  of  their  specific  adaptability  to  the  general  run 
of  diverse  printing  made  up  of  various  “  jobs.”  Fourteen  of  these 
presses,  known  as  “  Gordons,”  from  their  maker,  are  installed  upon 
the  second  floor  of  the  factory,  constituting  an  important  branch  of 
the  Printing  Department.  Often  these  are  taxed  to  their  utmost  in 
keeping  up  with  an  influx  of  work,  the  volume  of  which  has  been 
an  increasing  factor  for  many  years. 

Upon  the  second  floor,  in  addition  to  the  twenty-seven  presses 
of  different  styles,  is  some  envelope  printing  machinery,  which,  in 
its  operation,  exhibits  some  surprising  results.  So  fast  do  these 
machines  run  that  it  is  beyond  the  power  of  the  eye  to  perceive 
the  moment  of  feeding  in  the  separate  envelopes.  These  latter  are 
laid  in  a  pile  at  the  front  of  the  machine,  which  is  small  in  size, 
but  quite  complex,  and  one  by  one  are  taken  therefrom,  fed  into 


4 

x 

X 

X 

X 


81 


the  machine  beneath  a  printing  device,  and  then  delivered  at  the 
rear  end.  The  adjustments  of  such  machinery  are  necessarily 
exact.  Should  an  envelope  chance  to  be  placed  in  the  pile  with 
its  flap-side  reversed,  the  machine  will  instantly  stop  without  damage 
to  the  envelope  or  mechanisms.  The  capacity  is  said  to  run  up  to 
100,000  envelopes  per  day  of  ten  hours  work,  which  is  doubtless 
an  expert  figure.  The  average  capacity  ranges  around  60,000,  in 
itself  a  remarkable  output  for  a  self-feeding,  inking  and  printing 
machine. 

We  have  now  seen  our  job  carried  through  all  the  depart¬ 
ments  of  its  class,  whether  ruling,  printing,  binding,  etc.,  and  may 
follow  it  to  the  first  floor,  where  the  Packing,  Shipping  and  Delivery 
Department  commands  inspection.  Here  the  goods  are  received  in 
a  finished  state  from  the  respective  departments  and  given  a 
thorough  examination  by  careful  and  experienced  men,  after  which 
they  are  marked  ready  for  shipping.  In  this  establishment  it  is  a 
rule  to  keep  as  far  ahead  of  demand  as  is  possible.  Accordingly, 
a  large  number  of  orders  are  made  up  in  advance  of  the  customer’s 
current  requirements,  and  these  goods  are  stored  upon  the  first 
floor.  A  sheet  from  every  book  made  is  kept  on  file,  with  a 
detailed  description  of  lettering,  binding  and  kindred  operations, 
and  these  are  numbered  to  correspond  with  the 
with  a  label  pasted  in  front  of  the  book.  The  sheets 
posited  in  a  fire-proof  vault,  so 
that  they  can  be  readily  acces¬ 
sible  when  the  customer  desires 
a  book  duplicated. 

Whatever  pertains  to  pack¬ 
ing,  shipment  and  delivering  is 
entirely  confined  to  the  first 
floor,  which  is  the  receiving  and 
distributing  centre  of  the  entire 
establishment. 


82 


Q^XXXXXXX><XXX><><XXXXX><X>0<XXXXXXXXXXXxrXX> 


X 


A  CHAPTER  ABOUT  THE 
POWER  DEPARTMENT. 

~  ^<xX>000<X>C^C<>vX:<>C>^0<>C-C>^  'C\»000^ 


N0WLEDGE  of  manufacturing  and  an 

/appreciation  of  the  elements  involved 

would  not  be  at  all  complete  without  a 
description  of  that  department  which  fur¬ 
nishes,  as  it  were,  the  vital  energy  to  run 
the  entire  immense  organism,  with  its  throbbing  and  complex 

machinery.  A  factory  of  any  kind  is  like  a  human  monster 

taking  into  its  capacious  stomach  surprising  quantities  of  raw 
material  and  digesting  and  assimilating  it  in  harmonious  accord 
with  the  requirements  of  its  circulation.  The  power  which  keeps 
the  great  machine  going  lies  in  the  basement  of  the  building  at 
the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Commerce  Streets.  A  portion  of  this  subter¬ 
ranean  department  is  devoted  to  waste-paper  bins,  which  receive 
the  cuttings  and  other  refuse  material  of  the  floors  above.  Here 
is  also  stored  the  binders’  boards,  used  in  such  large  quantities  in 
making  the  covers  of  blank-books.  From  twenty-five  to  thirty 
tons  of  the  material  are  kept  on  hand,  to  supply  what  is  a  con¬ 
stant  demand.  These  boards  are  cut  to  regular  sizes,  for  seasoning 
prior  to  use,  in  this  part  of  the  building,  special  cutting  machinery 


85 


lUrv-Vi  y/n 


being  provided  for  the  purpose  of  a  construction  massive  enough  to 
resist  the  strain  entailed  in  handling  material  of  such  tough  and 
resisting  character. 

The  remainder  of  the  basement,  which  extends  out  into  the 
street  beneath  the  pavement  on  the  two  environing  streets,  is 
devoted  to  the  Power  Department  and  Lighting  Plant,  which  it 
has  been  the  aim  to  make  as  perfect  and  complete  as  modern 
engineering  would  permit.  Two  sets  of  B.  &  W.  Boilers,  located 


beneath  the  side-walk,  are  used,  either  of  which  has  capacity  to 
run  the  entire  plant.  The  coal  is  weighed  as  it  is  delivered,  and 
then  deposited  upon  a  level  with  the  boiler-room  floor.  A  Green 
engine  of  120  horse-power  furnishes  the  manufacturing  departments 
with  all  the  power  required  in  running  their  machinery.  For 
heating,  however,  a  special  engine  is  employed,  used  for  that  purpose 
alone.  The  pure  air  is  drawn  through  a  duct  from  above  the  roof 
(120  feet  above  the  street),  is  then  heated  by  steam  pipes  and 


87 


forced  through  the  building  by  a  large  blower,  run  by  the  source 
mentioned.  The  ventilation  is  thus  rendered  as  perfect  as  sanita¬ 
tion  could  demand,  and  life  in  the  workshops  becomes  pleasurable 
rather  than  burdensome,  as  it  was  under  the  stuffy  and  impure 
conditions  formerly  generated  in  factories. 

For  lighting  the  building,  two  S.  &  H.  6oo-liglit  dynamos  are 
used,  one  of  which  is  driven  by  a  belt  from  the  power  shaft,  while 
the  other  is  directly  coupled  to  an  engine  of  60  horse-power  capa¬ 
city.  Machinery  for  elevators,  pumps  for  the  water  supply,  and 
pumps  for  fire  purposes  absorb  the  balance  of  the  space. 

A  conspicuous  and  artistic  feature  of  the  lighting  equipment 
is  a  switchboard,  of  imposing  proportions  and  beautiful  finish. 
Made  of  marble,  handsomely  framed  in  oak,  it  stands  upon  an 
enamelled  brick  foundation,  affording  ready  access.  The  illumina¬ 
tion  of  each  floor,  stairway,  and  fire  escape  is  under  direct  control 
from  this  point. 

The  entire  steam  plant,  both  of  the  factory  and  of  the  main 
building  at  No.  529  Market  Street,  is  under  the  direction  of  the 
Chief  Engineer,  M.  McSorley,  who  has  been  in  the  employ  of  the 
company  for  twenty-six  years,  and  from  whom  an  efficient  corps 
of  assistants  is  provided. 


At  the  outset  of  the  chapters  comprising  this  little  book,  the 
writer  proposed  not  so  much  to  give  a  recital  of  bare  details  as  to 
carry  the  reader  with  him  in  a  practical  talk  about  the  different 
stages  of  manufacturing  in  which  the  William  Mann  Company  is 
engaged.  It  has  been  the  aim  to  combine  some  adequate  know¬ 
ledge  of  broad  processes  with  a  description  of  an  establishment  in 
which  those  processes  are  carried  to  completion.  Any  method  of 
treatment  less  impersonal  would  have  been  equally  distasteful  to 
the  editor  as  well  as  the  publishers,  whose  desire  is  solely  to 
present  this  little  work  as  a  testimonial  of  their  regard  to  those 


with  whom  they  have  business  dealings.  With  the  kindest  wishes 
from  them  to  the  recipients  of  the  book,  and  a  parting  hope  that 
the  record  made  by  “  Fifty  Years  of  Progress  ”  will  be  regarded 
as  a  warrant  for  greater  ad¬ 
vancement  in  decades  yet  to 
come,  the  publishers  extend  a 
warm  farewell  to  all  and  bring 
these  pages  to  a  conclusion. 


QQOOO  OOQQOOOOOOO  OOOO 

END  OF 


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80 


O OOOOOOO OOP 


\ 


/ 


V 


GETTY  CENTER  LIBRARY 


3  3125  00141  2051 


